The U.S. Justice Department on Monday said it will begin collecting data on stops, searches and arrests made in five U.S. cities to weed out possible racial biases within the criminal justice system. Later this year, a $4.75 million federal grant will be awarded to recipients who compete for the funds to work with their local law enforcement to analyze arrest data and find ways to reduce any biases they find, particularly toward young minority men.

Black men were six times more likely, and Latino men were 2.5 times more likely, to be imprisoned than white men in 2012, according to Justice Department data. Attorney General Eric Holder said the data collection effort is in response to President Barack Obama’s call for better relations between law enforcement and young men of color following the “not guilty” verdict in the shooting death of black Florida teen Trayvon Martin.

Did Dannyboy come through the door with you? I saw the beautiful pictures of him swimming, he is such a big beautiful and handsome boy. Next thing we know, Danny will be dating : ), are you ready for that momma chipsticks?

Also, how is your mother doing? I hope that she is nearing full recovery and feeling much, much better. She is still on the prayer list, sending healing blessings, and speedy recovery.

I was lucky enough to happen upon the video Danny swimming. He’s looking good. . .
My best to Mama Chips too. If you look at the background on my twitter page you will notice we spoiled our dogs with a huge garden pond. ;) You and Danny welcome any time.

How are you doing my friend? Haven’t been on much; school, FCAT and the works. I pray that you are feeling well and doing well. How is recovery coming along? You were being naughty (on computer) after your surgery so I hope that you are in a better place of recovery. Continued prayers for full recovery.
Warmest Blessings

Oh, you caught me. Please don’t tell AMK. ;) My eye is healing well think. I’ll know May 9! I’ve had multiple side effects from an unrelated drug that is giving me grief now and then. I think it’s the pent up infuriation at the idjits out there and I haven’t been able to let off steam @ TOD.

So sorry to hear that. Well, keep praying and keep the faith. You will get there real soon. I know how aggravating it can be when all you want to do is heal, and go back to where you were but please be patient; one day at a time. I know, easy for me to say …..right : (

Don’t you give up and don’t give in……better days are ahead ((((((((CarolMaeWY))))))))))

Why do you think Darrell “crazy man” Issa want to bring them down? The brothers got it going on, no doubt, they know it. They are driving the “establishment buck wild crazy” because this was NEVER suppose to happen; not in “their USA” but God is good all the time and all the time God is good : )

Mr. Cummings, Dr. Rice, AG Holder….and of course President Obama, Issa and the rest of the “good ol boys” want them gone.

You’re so right. Issa and his GOP cronies can’t take seeing our great President and his team of outstanding and brilliant public servants mess up their program of greed and destruction. The party of Hope defeats the party of Nope! Everytime!

Now that Sterling has been shown to be a Republican, the usual quarters are rushing to exonerate him. The Donald claims “he was set up”. I hope tonight to write a piece on race in the Age of Obama. I have a doozy working out in my head.

It doesn’t matter if “he was set up” because he spoke what was in his heart. If it wasn’t there, it would not have come out. Hatred for others (race, gender, religion etc….) will always show up; sooner or later, what stirs in the heart comes out of the mouth.

The man doesn’t care for the Negro Donald Trump, no more than you cared for President Obama, and you showed your disdain for our President at every opportunity that was given to you. So go ahead and defend your heartless mate…….

I have thought they look alike too – it’s something in their manner, I think. They both have CHARACTER and resolve, among other positive traits. While being very pleasant men, to me they both also give off a ‘don’t-come-to-me-with-garbage’ air.

I’ve been listening to a wonderful, passionate, back and forth with Herman Edwards and Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take. Absolutely riveting. Magic Johnson phoned in to comment on how moved he was.

Hi CMWY. Thanks for asking. Dealing with 5 deaths in the past 3 wks. but keeping the faith. This just makes me more determined to grab a blessing out of each day, and love everybody just a little harder.
How are you? Are you doing right by your eyes?

Counting our blessings is a good step. Taking care of yourself is too. My eye is getting better. It improves noticeably almost every day. I suffered side effects from something unrelated and that is making life a little miserable. But I’ll get better slowly.

Good afternoon Paulita,
Happy Monday to you…..under the circumstances, I hope that you are well.

I added you to my prayer list when I read about your aunt and nephew, and now to hear that you have lost again is heartbreaking. I pray that you and your family will be comforted in your time of bereavement. There are no words that I can say but I pray for your comfort. May God give you all that you need in times like this.

Thank you Cindy. 2 were relatives, the other 3 were friends. But I feel so blessed that I can come to this place, knowing we may never meet on this side, but still feel closer to a world of people that comment here. The sincerity is felt and deeply appreciated.

These pictures are what makes white supremacists’ heads explode! These two men, who had no privileges growing up, did actually make it on their own brains and hard work. No entitlement or privilege to help them along. Absolutely maddening to the white male privilege holders. These two men topple every idea those other people had of their own innate superiority and rightness. As a white woman, I am very familiar with white male privilege.

I’m thinking what is happening right now, to use a rather crude analogy, is like a poisoned appendix. We don’t know what’s going on inside for a long time…a stomach ache now, a twinge then………boom, a rupture, and all the poison spills out and the offending organ must be removed so the body can heal. We have to live through this rupture while the racists are marked and noted, and other people see what is happening, so we can heal and become whole. This is very difficult and hard for the rest of us to live through, but I’m afraid a lot of white folks have to have the hatred and horror graphically pointed out to them before they will acknowledge it and purge it from themselves.

I love and respect President Obama, and it shatters me that he has been the victim of so much denigration. However, knowing what I do about white male privilege and white female unreasoning fear, clearly manifested in the home schooling movement, I realize this reaction would happen whenever the first president of a minority was elected. We are so blessed that the first was our PBO, who is miles smarter and cooler than any of his enemies, and is showing that color is not a determinant of character or intelligence. The rest of the world knows, he is a treasure.

“This is very difficult and hard for the rest of us to live through, but I’m afraid a lot of white folks have to have the hatred and horror graphically pointed out to them before they will acknowledge it and purge it from themselves.”

You hit it way out of the park and then some, Carolyn. This is truth. Only a man of our president’s caliber could have forged this path to greatness through bigotry and fear. And thank God he has a wonderful and courageous partner at this side in Michelle.

“Ukraine has inked with the Slovak Republic, in particular with the Slovak transit company the Eustream, a memorandum on cooperation in energy, which envisages launch of reverse supplies of natural gas from the territory of Slovakia. The Prime Mhttp://www.kmu.gov.ua/img/1×1.gifinister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed at a press conference on Monday, April 28.

According to him, pursuant to the memorandum, Ukraine can receive 8 billion cu m of gas anually.

“I hope that after holding additional examinations the amount of supplies will be increased,” the Head of Government added.

He stressed the memorandum is “a huge achievement in the direction of diversification of natural gas supplies on the territory of Ukraine”.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk accessed the position of the European Commission and added that during the signing process the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso had been present: “Just owing to the position of the European Commission and the Government of Slovakia there has been signed the agreement that enables to launch reverse supplies of natural gas to the territory of Ukraine”.

“Moreover, all necessary technical documents have been signed with an aim to ensure the transit of gas to Ukraine’s territory,” Arseniy Yatsenyuk added.”

Here’s the reason I have the DCCC for unsubscribing: Are you kidding? Every recent email has had a subject line such as today’s: “DOOMED.” Who would support an organization with such defeatism leading it? I support President Obama and the OFA. GET A GRIP BEFORE WE ARE ALL DOOMED!

Those 2 are the most handsome and smartest men ever to hold those offices. Plus they drive the rwnj’s crazy. I just feel so bad for the the crap they have to take. Thank you for putting up this post. We are blessed to have them care.

“In Senate races across the country, Republicans will avoid the issues that matter most to Americans. Instead trying to focus attention on a senator not even up for election. That senator is me,” he said on the Senate floor on the day the chamber returned from a two-week recess.

“Charles and David Koch and their radical henchmen — feel free to attack me as much as you want. I can take it,” he said. “But don’t expect the American people to be fooled by this newest tactic.”

The Koch Brothers Used Cliven Bundy as Part Of Their Plan To Seize Public Land

The Koch brothers’ paid ALEC to create several pieces of “model legislation” for Republican states to “demand that Congress extinguish title and government jurisdiction over public lands that are held in trust by the US federal government” such as ALEC’s “Eminent Domain Authority for Federal Lands Act.”

In 2012 Utah’s Mormon governor, Bundy and ALEC supporter Gary Herbert signed “The Transfer of Public Lands Act” mandating the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management relinquish their domain to Utah Republicans no later than 2015 or the conservative Supreme Court will do it for them. It is important to remember that Cliven Bundy’s primary assertion was that the federal government had no right, or claim, to public land it had purchased from Mexico and why the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity and Republicans fell over themselves to support Bundy’s claim of “government overreach.”

“Many in Russia and the West have speculated that the combination of Vladimir Putin’s policies against Ukraine, Moscow’s increasing isolation internationally, and deteriorating economic conditions at home will eventually lead to a Maidan-style challenge to his rule.

That is possible, of course, but a man identified as a former FSB officer and speaking on condition of anonymity suggests that there may be another and more immediate threat to the Kremlin leader: a coup by the siloviki [power ministers] and groups allied with them who believe that Putin’s policies are hurting not only the country but their personal interests.

“Everyone understands that there is simply no reason to fight with the entire world in the name of some absurd historical principles,” he says, adding that “everyone understands that the Soviet phobia of the FSB that the American enemy is close and will soon attack has lost its significance.””

Steve Benen has a good take on some puff piece on Paul Ryan and his ‘sincerity’ in combating poverty. Here’s an excerpt from one of his visits to a shelter:

“After several minutes, a sturdy, smiling pastor named Darryl Webster arrives and greets their guest of honor. “I appreciate you coming,” Webster says as he clasps the congressman’s hand. “You know, when you get up this early in the morning, it’s intentional.”

“Usually when I get up this early, I get up to kill something,” Ryan cracks.
It was a hunting joke.”